This method involves visualizing a specific object or natural landscape. Commonly, we picture in front of our eyes the bright sun, a calm sea or lake, or a bouquet of flowers in full bloom, for example. Or we concentrate on one of the body’s seven charkas (energy centers) and also visualize the color associated with that charka. Practitioners usually concentrate on the lower Dahn jon, which is equivalent to the second charka located in the abdomen. Visualizing a red ball, the sun, or a candle will help to develop Dahn-jonawareness.

Our meditation practice itself is the key to developing the mindfulness that lets us recognize the nuances of our lives. By becoming more aware of what we are actually doing during meditation – being more mindful of our bodies and minds—we can in turn be more aware in our everyday lives, even when we are not meditating.

Set: Bu-toe-bo is adapted from Ki-ma-bo by bending one knee and sitting down on one leg while straightening the other leg. Make sure that the knee of the supporting leg does not come out of alignment with the toes of the foot below it. Your feet should be parallel, with the toes pointing the same direction. When the left leg is extended, the stance is called Jwa-bu-toe-bo; when the right leg is extended, it is called U-bu-toe-bo.

WAIST-HIP ROTATION

1. Stand with your feet parallel and shoulder-width apart.

2. Make relaxed fists with both hands and bring them to chest height.

3. Gently tuck in your tailbone as you bend your knees slightly.

4. Imagining that a weight is hanging from your tailbone, rotate only the area below your navel to the right in a circle. Do 20 repetitions.

5. Switch directions and do 20 more repetitions.

CHUK-KI STANCE

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and parallel. Make sure that your weight is distributed evenly so that it rests firmly over the soles of both feet.

2. Gently tuck in your tailbone.

3. Relaxing your upper body, raise your hands to chest height, and spread them apart about one foot.

4. Imagine that you have a ball of energy between your hands and your chest.

5. Concentrate on your Dahn-jon and maintain this posture for about 5 to 10 minutes.

Extending your left foot forward in a semicircle, spread your feet shoulder width apart and stand looking at the distant heavens.

Inhale as you raise both arms to shoulder height, and then exhale as you lower them. Repeat this movement three times. Do not exhale completely on the last repetition; breathe out only 80 percent of the air in your lungs.

Ilchi Lee is founder of dahn yoga and also prof says continuing from the previous movement, raise your upper body into an erect position. Bend your knees to lower your buttocks and waist, and use both of your hands to pull up energy from below, as if embracing a large ball.

Slowly straightening your legs, press both hands upward simultaneously as if holding up the sky, and focus your Ki by yelling, “Yap!” upward.

Press forward with the center of your right palm while moving your left hand as if pressing down on the energy of the Dahn-jon or the ground. At the same time, circle your left foot slightly;* to the rear as you move your feet apart.

Ilchi Lee said exhale as you extend your arms out to the side, palms facing outward.

Inhale as you cross your arms in front of your chest.

When you open your chest with your palms, do so with great force and spirit, as if dividing the sea.

There are two general standards for evaluating level of consciousness in Doctor Ilchi Lee’s point of view. The first is your purpose in life. What do you live tor? Two people might do the same work for the same company; yet their purpose in life may be totally different. Second is the home of your consciousness. This refers to the equilibrium of your consciousness. It is the level to which your consciousness most readily returns to rest. As you can see from the diagram, the range of consciousness for three people may be the same, but the home (equilibrium point) of their consciousness is different.

Once you have chosen the new “you,” then you must begin to act and behave in a manner that befits your newly chosen self and its corresponding level of consciousness. With continuous effort, you will be able to move the equilibrium point of your consciousness to a new level, making it your new home.

Advantages of Dahn Hak and Dahn Yoga define by Ilchi Lee.

Deep breathing occurs naturally if we breathe with our awareness focused on our Dahn-jon, which you may remember is the Korean name for our bodies’ energy center. It is located roughly two inches below the navel and two inches inside the body, in the center of the abdomen.

As you do your breath-work, focus your mind’s attention on this area of your body. Feel your lower abdomen rising when you breathe in and falling when you breathe out. Do this slowly and concentrate on your breathing. If this method seems difficult, place one hand on your lower abdomen and the other on your chest. As you breathe, feel the hand on your lower abdomen moving while the hand on your chest stays still.

There is a close correlation between depth of respiration and health describe by Ilchi Lee. Our breathing is deeper when we are younger and becomes shallower with age. We observe that newborn children breathe with their abdomen, their lower belly rising and falling. The center of breathing gradually rises as children grow older. This change proceeds from what is called “abdominal breathing” to “chest breathing,” and then to “shoulder breath-ing.”

If you watch people of advanced age, or patients who are seriously ill, you will see that their shoulders rise and fall as they breathe. This indicates how shallow their respiration has become. In Korean, the shallowest respiration is called Mok-sum, or “throat breathing.” When respiration becomes shallower than this, a person dies. His or her Mok-sum, or “throat breathing,” is cut off.

Inhaling takes energy, while exhaling does not require much energy at all. Try breathing a few times and you will see what I mean. A breath taken is exhaled naturally. On account of this, as long as we are strong enough, we try to breathe in again because of our attachment to life. Ilchi Lee explains why in most cases life ends with an inhalation.

It feels stuffy to stop in the middle of inhalation. This means that for many people, dying is not a very pleasant experience. Dying on an inhaled breath means dying in struggle and often pain. In contrast, when people are absolutely satisfied with what they have done through their lives, when they are totally sure of the continuity of their existence, then I think they will be more likely to exhale. Their experience of death will be that much more pleasant. So please remember the proper way of breathing, even at the moment of death—just in case.